By: Jeffrey G. Damicog
The security guard whose family of five was massacred in San Jose del Monte City, Bulacan recently has accepted the government’s offer to be placed under the Witness Protection Program.
Dexter Carlos Sr. accepted the offer during his meeting with Justice Secretary Vitaliano N. Aguirre II and Witness Protection Program Executive Director Nerissa Carpio at the Department of Justice in Manila yesterday.
“He accepted shelter and other benefits under the WPP,” said Justice Undersecretary Erickson Balmes.
Balmes said Carlos has started filling up paper work for the application to be provisionally placed under the WPP. He added Carlos will be subjected to an evaluation to determine if he is qualified under the WPP coverage.
“If he feels threatened or if he fears for his safety, we will study if he can be placed under the Witness Protection Program which the DoJ administers during the duration of the trial of the case to be filed against the suspects,” said Aguirre. “If qualified, we will expedite his admission into the program,” Aguirre assured.
Aguirre said apart from the legal assistance of the Public Attorney’s Office to Carlos, “The Department of Justice is more than willing to extend any assistance that he may need in getting justice for what was done to his family.”